Food dispensing package



Sept. l, 1964 H. M. HANSEN ETAL FOOD DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed Dec. 1l,196].

TTOE/VEYS' United States Patent O Filed Dec. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 158,512Claims. (Cl. 215-11) The present invention relates broadly to thecontainer art, and is more particularly concerned with a food dispensingpackage especially designed for infant feeding and having among itsfeatures a significantly reduced cost permitting discard after use.

In the past the preparation of infant foods, and particularly milkformulae, has been a laborious and timeconsuming task for thehouseholder largely by reason of the need to sterilize the bottles andnipples each time before use. Further, while the use of plastics in theformation of bottles has reduced the weight and breakage thereof, costconsiderations require that the bottles not be discarded when emptied,and during travel and on many other occasions this is a definiteinconvenience.

It is accordingly an important aim of the present invention to provide afood dispensing package in readyto-use form and at minimum cost suchthat significant home preparation is eliminated and the package can bediscarded after use.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an infantfeeding container which is easy and convenient to render ready for useand has the parts thereof so arranged as to essentially entirelypreclude the sterility of the container being readily compromised.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an infant feederwherein the bottle portion thereof takesY the form of a collapsible tubewhich permits expulsion of the contained food without the problems ofadmitting replacement air to maintain the internal pressure.

A further object of the instant invention lies in the provision of afood dispensing package in which the tubular body portion thereof issecurely sealed until ready for use, the seal being broken merely bytightening a nipple-bearing cap.

An even further object of the invention is to provide a dispensingdevice for infant foods and the like, including a relatively thin-walledtubular body closed at one end and having a neck portion formed at theopposite end thereof, wall means closing the neck portion, cap meansreceived on the neck portion and mounting an apertured plug memberhaving at one end a severing surface for piercing the wall means uponadvancement of the cap means along the neck portion, a nipple supportedby the opposite end of the plug member, and a closure received on thecap means and housing the nipple prior to usage' of the package.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentas the description proceeds, particularly when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the same:

FIGURE 1 is a telescoped elevational view of a container constructed inaccordance with the principles of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but with the closure or overcapremoved;

FIGURE 4 is a View similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the container withovercap removed and the inner cap tightened to an operative position topierce the seal means; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified form ofthe invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to FIGURES 1 to 4 therein, acontainer embodying the novel concepts of this invention is thereindesignated in its entirety by the numeral 1), and comprises a relativelythin-walled tubular body portion 11, heat sealed or otherwise closedalong one end as indicated at 12. The tube 11 adjacent the opposite endthereof is provided with a smoothly rounded shoulder portion 13 ofrelatively greater wall thickness, and also integral with the tube bodyis an increased wall thickness neck portion 14 equipped with a set ofexternal threads 14a. The tube 11 is desirably formed of branch or highdensity polyethylene having a wall thickness of about 0.005 inch,although other thermoplastic materials such as polyamides, polyesters,vinyl polymers and copolymers, polymers of vinylidene chloride,polystyrene and polypropylene and its copolymers may be employed. Apreferred molding technique is that shown and described in Strahm PatentNo.

2,673,374; however the tube may be headed generally with less efficiencyby other methods, as by compression molding.

The neck portion 14 at the mouth thereof is formed during the headingoperation with a relatively thin transverse wall 15 provided generallycentrally with an opening 15a which is closed or sealed prior to use ofthe container 10 by a disc 16 heat sealed to the wall 15, adhesivelysecured thereto, or in any other manner affixed in good fluid tightrelation. As appears from FIGURES 2 and 4, the disc or sealing means 16is provided by a plastic-metal-plastic sandwich structure and the outerlayers 16a and 16C may be polyethylene and the interlayer 16h aluminumor other suitable foil material. The metal interlayer 16h has theadvantage of facilitating the cutting operation, to be later described,and the entire disc assembly provides an etiicient hermetic seal. Thefoil 16b may have the plastic iilms 16a and 16e` applied thereto by aspraying technique, or separate adhesively attached layers may beutilized. Further, the upper plastic strip 16a is not at all timesrequired.

The orifice or opening 15a, prior to attachment of the sealing disc 16,provides a convenient inlet through which to ill the tube body 11 withcontents subsequent to sealing the end 12 thereof. It is believed nowapparent, however, that the neck wall 15 could be imperforate and thefilling accomplished through the end 12, followed by sealing said end.In such an arrangement the disc 16 could then be convenientlyeliminated.

Threadably associated with the container neck 14 is an inner cap 17equipped at 17a with complementary threads on the inner diameter of anannular skirt 18 integral with a transverse wall or roof portion 19. Thecap 17 is of suicient thickness to provide the requisite rigidity, andthe material providing the cap may be the same as the tube body 11, orany of the other plastics noted hereinabove.

Formed integral with the cap 17 in essentially the radial center of theWall portion 19, and performing the dual function of supporting a nipple20 and severing the seal disc 16, is an apertured plug member generallyindicated at 21. The plug member is centrally passaged at 21a, and ismolded to provide an upstanding button portion 22 and a downwardlydepending tubular portion 23 cut obliquely at its extreme end to form acutting or severing edge 23a. As appears in FIGURE 2, the severing edge23a is disposed upwardly or out of contact with the seal disc 16 priorto use of the container 10 as a feeder, that is, prior to turning thecap 17 in a tightening direction upon the container neck 14. In theposition illus- 53 trated, the cap wall 19 is spaced from the neck wall15 as at 24, and this void is progressively reduced in volume as the capis tightened to the position of FIGURE 4, as will be later described inconnection with a discussion of the operation of the container 10.

The nipple 20 is preferably constructed of rubber, and is molded to forma relatively thin-walled mouth-engaging portion or upper end 20a and alower end or base portion 20b of relatively greater wall thicknesscomplementarily contoured to grasp the button portion 22 of the plugmember 21. Along the dome of the nipple upper end 20a there is provideda plurality of fluid discharge orifices 25 through which the containercontents are withdrawn by the sucking action, the milk or other food ofcourse being forced from the container interior through the passage 21ain the plug member 21 and into the nipple cavity 26. As also appears inFIGURES 2 and 4, the base portion 20b of the nipple 20 is firmly seatedagainst the upper surface of the cap top wall 19 in good sealingrelation therewith. Normally a press iit is sufcient for this purpose,although the nipple can be adhesively secured to the cap top wall 19, ifdesired.

Prior to use of the container as a feeder, the nipple is housed withinan overcap or closure 27, which may be plastic or could be of thin metalwall construction. Desirably, however, the closure is polyethylene andis shaped by vacuum forming techniques to provide a relatively slenderupper tubular portion 27a containing the nipple 20, a radially extendingshoulder portion 27b, and a depending skirt portion 27C engageable withthe skirt 18 on the inner cap 17. As is revealed in FIGURES 2 and 4, thebase portion 2012 of the nipple has a radially outwardly directed flange20c formed thereon against which the juncture of the overcap tubular andshoulder portions 27a and 27b press to assure an effective seal in thisregion.

The overcap 27 may be retained on the inner cap 17 by a friction iit, orcan be held in place by a snap arrangement such as is provided by acomplementary bead and groove. However, in experience to date leakage ismore thoroughly prevented, and the sterile character of the nipple lesslikely to be compromised, if the overcap is retained in the position ofFIGURE 2 by a pressure sensitive adhesive strip or band 28 which engagesthe lower periphery of the overcap 27 and an annular portion along theinner cap skirt 2S. Alternatively, between the overcap and inner capskirt portions 27e and 18 a tear string may be located with one endthereof exposed, and the two skirt portions heat sealed to one another.

The container 1t) as shown in FIGURE l is, as was noted hereinabove,iilled to the desired level by admitting the formula or other foodthrough the aperture a in the neck top wall 15 subsequent to sealing thelower end of the tube body portion as at 12. The disc 16 is then heatsealed in the position shown, and the inner cap 17 threaded upon thetube neck 14 to the extent illustrated, whereby the cutting edge 23a ofthe plug tube portion 23 is spaced from the sealing disc 1.6. The nipple20, if not previously seated upon the plug button portion 22, is locatedin place and the overcap 27 placed over the nipple with its skirtportion 27 overlying the upper end of the inner cap 17. The sealing tapeis then wrapped about the skirt portions of the overcap and inner cap inadhesive contact therewith, as shown.

The food dispensing package 10 as thus assembled is suitably sterilizedand housed in any desired outer container. This may take the form of afoil pack as known to the art, or a plurality of containers 19 may belocated in a can containing a measured amount of water and the can thensealed. The container water is then later employed to heat the food inthe package 16.

To utilize the container ltl after removal from the overwrap or outerpackage, the adhesive band 2S is stripped therefrom and the overcap 27removed. Then,

by grasping the skirt portion 18 of the inner cap 17 and turning thesame in a tightening direction, the cutting edge 23a enters the sealingdisc 16 and penetrates therethrough, leaving a disc cut-out portion asindicated at 36 in FIGURE 4. In this position the tubular portion 23 ofthe plug member 21 is received in and extends through the opening 15a inthe neck top wall 15 to communicate the interior of the tube bodyportion 11 with the cavity 26 in the nipple 20. It will be noted thatduring this tightening action there is no necessity for the exposednipple to be touched by the hands or any other contaminating inliuence,as so often characterize a known feeder in which the nipple is normallyhoused in an inverted position within the bottle when the feeder is notbeing used.

It is to be further observed that the container 10 of this inventionfeatures a relatively thin-walled or collapsible body portion 11 andnon-collapsible or semirigid shoulder and neck portions 13 and 14,respectively, which at their juncture may illustratively have a Wallthickness of the order of tive times that of the body portion 11. Thiscombination of different wall thickness portions has at least twoadvantages. First, by using a thin tubular body, material and weightsavings are not only realized, but there is no noticeable resistance tothe nipple sucking action and no need to provide air entrance openingsin the nipple or inner cap to permit ingress of air for replacing theliquid removed. The body walls collapse as the contents are removed andthereby prevent a vacuum being formed behind the contents, which underordinary conditions would result and impede uniform ow of contents tothe babys mouth.

Second, the thickened shoulder and neck portions prevent completecollapse of the container during feeding. Further, by having the bodythinner than the head portion, the body collapses first as the contentsare being gradually withdrawn, thereby facilitating withdrawal ofcontents freely, irrespective of the position of the body of thecontainer.

It is, of course, not at all times required that the nipple be mountedupon the precise plug member 21 as described above. Alternatively, thenipple may be so formed as to be held in place between the top wall ofthe inner cap and the means which performs the disc cutting action.

This aspect of the invention is shown in FIGURE 5, and is this view likeparts from FIGURES l to 4 are designated by like numerals, raised by afactor of As appears in FIGURE 5, a collapsible plastic tube is providedwith a neck portion 114 having external threads 114:1, the uppermost ofwhich make initial snap engagement with a bead 5019 forming part of theinternal thread configuration of an inner cap 50. The neck portion isformed at the mouth thereof with an apertured wall 115, and the sealingdisc 116 can be identical to that of the iirst form of the invention.

The inner cap 50 is internally threaded, as was noted, and downwardlyspaced from top wall 50a thereof is an anular bead 51 which provides ashelf for an apertured plug member 52. The latter member has a radiallyoutwardly directed ange 52a which bears against flange 53a on nipple 53,said flange 53a being thereby engaged between the plug member tlange 52aand wall 50a of the inner cap 50. If desired, the nipple in a locationspaced from the flange 53a may have an annular bead 53b formed thereonto provide snap engagement between the nipple and inner cap.

The apertured plug member 52 is centrally passaged at 5S, and onopposite sides of the ange 52a there is integrally formed a tubularnipple engaging portion 56 and a tubular diagonally cut disc severingportion 57.

The assembly of FIGURE 5 will, of course, embody an overcap ofessentially the configuration indicated at 27 in FIGURES 1 and 2, andthe mode of operation of the embodiment of FIGURE 5 is believed manifestfrom the detailed description earlier given in connection with the lowernumbered views.

It is to be seen from the foregoing that there is herein provided a fooddispensing package in ready-to-use form of substantially reduced costwhich eliminates extensive home preparation and can be economicallydiscarded after a single use. The container is easy and convenient torender ready for use, and has the parts thereof so arranged as toessentially entirely preclude the sterility of the container beingcompromised.

Various modiiications have been described herein, and these and otherchanges may be efected without departing from the novel concepts of theinstant invention.

We claim:

1. A unitary nursing container comprising a collapsible plastic tubehaving a thin walled body and an integral relatively rigid headpieceterminating in an upstanding threaded neck closed at its upper end witha relatively .thin rupturable wall, a screw cap received on saidthreaded neck, said cap having an internally threaded skirt portion anda transversal Wall centrally mounting a centrally passaged plug member,said plug member having a depending tubular portion terminating in anoblique cutting edge, said skirt portion normally threadably engagingthe out-most end of said neck with said depending tubular portioninitially remote from said rupturable wall and being adapted to beturned onto full threaded engagement with said neck to cause saidcutting edge to pierce said rupturable wall, a nipple seated on saidplug member, and a protective closure removably sealed to the exteriorof said cap and enclosing said nipple.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein said plug member includes anupstanding portion tightly engaging the interior of said nipple.

3. The article of claim 2 wherein `said cap and said nipple havecooperating interlocking portions providing a snap-together connection.

4. The article of claim 1 wherein said nipple is provided with `a angeportion `overlying said cap and said protective closure sealinglyengages said flange portion.

5. The article of claim 1 wherein said neck is centrally apertnred andsaid rupturable wall is a laminated disc of plastic and metal foilsealed over the end of said neck.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,073,292 Waite et al. Mar. 9, 1937 2,438,299 Relis Mar. 23, 19482,604,222 Teague et al July 22, 1952 2,694,500 White Nov. 16, 19542,793,776 Lipari May 28, 1957

1. A UNITARY NURSING CONTAINER COMPRISING A COLLAPSIBLE PLASTIC TUBEHAVING A THIN WALLED BODY AND AN INTEGRAL RELATIVELY RIGID HEADPIECETERMINATING IN AN UPSTANDING THREADED NECK CLOSED AT ITS UPPER END WITHA RELATIVELY THIN RUPTURABLE WALL, A SCREW CAP RECEIVED ON SAID THREADEDNECK, SAID CAP HAVING AN INTERNALLY THREADED SKIRT PORTION AND ATRANSVERSAL WALL CENTRALLY MOUNTING A CENTRALLY PASSAGED PLUG MEMBER,SAID PLUG MEMBER HAVING A DEPENDING TUBULAR PORTION TERMINATING IN ANOBLIQUE CUTTING EDGE, SAID SKIRT PORTION NORMALLY THREADABLY ENGAGINGTHE OUTMOST END OF SAID NECK WITH SAID DEPENDING TUBULAR PORTIONINITIALLY REMOTE FROM SAID RUPTURABLE WALL AND BEING ADAPTED TO BETURNED ONTO FULL THREADED ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID NECK TO CAUSE SAIDCUTTING EDGE TO PIERCE SAID RUPTURABLE WALL, A NIPPLE SEATED ON SAIDPLUG MEMBER, AND A PROTECTIVE CLOSURE REMOVABLY SEALED TO THE EXTERIOROF SAID CAP AND ENCLOSING SAID NIPPLE.